1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to multi-layered conducting devices having a plurality of conductive elements in multi-layers and methods for manufacturing the same.
2. Description of Related Art
In order to form an electric circuit having a plurality of conductive elements in two layers, a two-layered conducting devices having a plurality of conductive strips in two layers has been utilized to connect electric circuit components, such as capacitors. For example, in the two-layered conducting device shown in FIG. 10, three first conductive strips 120A are disposed in a first layer, three second conductive strips 120B are disposed in a second layer, and they are fixed with resin 150, wherein the respective conductive strips 120A and 120B are insulated from each other. Both the ends of the respective conductive strips 120A and 120B are folded to make connection ends 122A and 122B.
A device as described above has been manufactured by a method (device) shown in FIGS. 11(A) and 11(B).
The device has an upper mold 180 and a lower mold 182. Six supporting pins 181A and six supporting pins 181B are fixed in the upper mold 180. Two supporting pins 181A are used for each of the first conductive strips 120A. Two supporting pins 181B are used for each of the second conductive strips 120B. Since each of the first conductive strips 120A is disposed in the first layer (upper layer) while each of the second conductive strips 120B is disposed in the second layer (lower layer), each supporting pin 181A is short while each supporting pin 181B is long. Similarly, six supporting pins 183A (corresponding to each of the first conductive strips 120A) and six supporting pins 183B (corresponding to each of the second conductive strips 120B) are provided in the lower mold 182.
The upper mold 180 is combined with the lower mold 182 as shown in FIG. 11(B). Each of the first conductive strips 120A is positioned between the upper and lower molds 180 and 182 by each supporting pin 181A of the upper mold 180 and each supporting pin 183A of the lower mold 182. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 11(A), each of the second conductive strips 120B is positioned between the upper and lower molds 180 and 182 by each supporting pin 181B of the upper mold 180 and each supporting pin 183B of the lower mold 182. In this arrangement, resin 150 is poured between the upper mold 180 and the lower mold 182, so that a two-layered conducting device as shown in FIG. 10 is produced. The device is formed on the upper surface thereof with holes 185 corresponding to the supporting pins 181A and 181B. Similarly, the device is formed on the lower surface thereof with holes (not shown) corresponding to the supporting pins 183A and 183B.
However, with the above-mentioned conventional device and manufacturing method, in order to provide insulation between each of the first conductive strips 120A and each of the second conductive strips 120B, a desired clearance C is required between the conductive strips 120A and 120B. Therefore, the device must be made thick to ensure proper separation. This is not favorable in view of saving space.
In addition, it is a cumbersome feature of the device described above that the supporting pins 181A and 181B are fixed on the upper mold 180 and the supporting pins 183A and 183B are fixed on the lower mold 182.
Furthermore, in a case where, as described above, supporting pins 181A and 181B are provided in the upper mold 180 and supporting pins 183A and 183B are provided in the lower mold 182, it is impossible to dispose conductive elements in more than two layers.
Finally, even though both the conductive strips 120A and 120B are disposed and fixed with resin 150 with clearance C provided between both the conductive strips 120A and 120B, the conductive strips 120A and 120B may be deformed by molding pressure when molding the same. Thus, if the conductive strips 120A and 120B are brought into contact with each other, then the insulation is broken.